From The Catholic Sentinel: St. Mary’s Academy in Portland may face a lawsuit filed by a woman whose job offer was withdrawn after she told school officials she planned to marry another woman. “Like other Catholic schools, St. Mary’s Academy is grounded in the teachings of the Catholic Church and asks faculty and staff to support those values,” says a statement from the school. “St. Mary’s understands that others may hold different values, and we respect the right of individuals... Read more
This story garnered some attention a few days ago: Some new Duke University students are very unhappy with a summer reading option that has gay themes. Incoming freshmen began posting on the Class of 2019 Facebook page, saying they had decided against reading Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by New York Times best-selling author Alison Bechdel, according to the Duke Chronicle. The graphic novel, which focuses on Bechdel’s sexual identity as a lesbian and her relationship with her closeted father, includes illustrations depicting... Read more
I’m sure it will be sympathetic to the Church. Right? After all, this is the network bringing you “The Real O’Neals.” From Variety: The untitled project from writer-exec producer Alison Schapker revolves around a group of Catholic nuns fighting the closure of their Bronx-based convent who must suddenly deal with three young novices whose arrival unearths long-buried secrets. The ensemble drama will throw into question everything you think you know about the “Brides of Christ.” Hailing from ABC Studios, Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers will also serve as exec... Read more
Back in the 1950s, the venerable woman who founded The Catholic Worker wrote a famous essay on “holy obedience”: Most cradle Catholics have gone through, or need to go through, a second conversion which binds them with a more profound, a more mature love and obedience to the Church. I do know that my nature is such that gratitude alone, gratitude for the faith, that most splendid gift, a gift not earned by me, a gratuitous gift, is enough to... Read more
This is pretty great, via Philly.com: Evan Davis sanded the back of a large walnut throne, scrubbing in the direction of the grain, to smooth the seat Pope Francis will sit on when he visits next month. In a carpentry shop at the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center (PICC), Davis and about a dozen other inmates have been working for four weeks on the chair, nearly six feet high. “At first I thought it was a little strange, honestly, like, why’s... Read more
A new survey by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) offers an interesting snapshot of the “Francis Effect“ in the U.S., just ahead of his first visit: More than one year into his papacy, Pope Francis remains popular among the American public. Two-thirds (67%) of Americans have a favorable view of the pope, while 15% say they have an unfavorable view. Nearly one in five (19%) Americans did not offer an opinion about the pope. Views of the Catholic Church... Read more
This is pretty great, via Philly.com: Evan Davis sanded the back of a large walnut throne, scrubbing in the direction of the grain, to smooth the seat Pope Francis will sit on when he visits next month. In a carpentry shop at the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center (PICC), Davis and about a dozen other inmates have been working for four weeks on the chair, nearly six feet high. “At first I thought it was a little strange, honestly, like, why’s... Read more
Details: One of the Roman Catholic Church’s most senior clergymen was arrested last week for driving under the influence during a trip to Hawaii. The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported Monday that 79-year-old Cardinal William Joseph Levada, of Menlo Park, California, was stopped at about midnight Thursday in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island after a patrol car saw him swerve. Levada, formerly the highest ranking American official in the Vatican, was charged with driving under the influence and was released from police custody after posting $500 bail. In a... Read more
Just when you thought you’d seen it all…some savvy Philadelphia promoters offer us this. And yes, for good measure, he’s also wearing “Rocky” boxing gloves. Read more
A fascinating blog post by Mark Pattison at CNS reveals a side of the late comedian many may not know (I sure didn’t!). Mark writes about a phone interview he did with Hartman in which the comic reflected on the death of his father and touched on his own Catholic upbringing: “Our faith prepares us for what lies ahead, and tells us that it’s a mystery to us, and we tremble before that mystery,” Hartman said in part. Moreover, he spoke in... Read more
The Deacon's Bench
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